Contesting Fate
by writerunderreconstruction
Summary: Their time together always had a limit and she knew it, but she fell in love with him anyway. Sasuke could only offer the in-between leading up to his engagement with another woman and Sakura thought it would be enough. But after their relationship comes to an end, she can't help but desire more.


**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto**

It wasn't the first time she had to call Ino to get the girl to come bail her out and it probably wouldn't be the last. Sakura smirked and modified; it definitely wouldn't be the last

"_Hello_?" The person on the other line sounded drowsy and in the background Sakura heard Shikamaru mumble, "_Who is it?" _

She sighed twirling the cord around her finger, "It's me. I need you to come get me."

A little more alert, Ino asked, "Where are you?"

Glancing around the room at the officer watching her, Sakura mumbled, "Tokyo Police Department."

There was a pause before Sakura heard a sigh, "_Sakura, I'm not coming to get you this time. You promised last time was your last_."

Sakura felt dread consume her body for the first time that night, "Why? I need you to get me, there's no one else."

"_You can call your parents, you can call Hinata, or you can call him." _

"You know I can't do any of those," Sakura replied angrily.

"_I can't help you; I'm really sorry." _The other line hung up and Sakura was left staring at the black phone in her hand.

With dread, she starting dialing the other number. He would always pick up...well, he used to always pick up. Now, she wasn't sure he would.

Luck was on her side when she heard his drowsy voice on the other line, "_Hello?" _

Her voice choked out, "S-Sasuke?"

With sleep still heavy in his voice she heard him ask, "_Who is this?"_

Pain lurched in her heart, "Did you forget the sound of my voice that easily, Sasuke-kun?" she asked softly.

"_Sakura," _He affirmed.

"Yeah," it was her turn to sigh, "I'm kind of in trouble, can you come get me?"

Again, as with Ino, there was a pause but this time the response was different, "_Yeah, where are you?"_

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><p>"Thank you," she murmured as they walked out of the building together into the night.<p>

"You're welcome," he shrugged slipping off his jacket and handed it to her when he noticed the way she shivered.

As they headed towards his car parked in the parking garage, Sakura kicked a stray stone and watched it land 10 feet away, "I wasn't sure you would come."

He stopped in his track and Sakura turned to face him. He stared at her sharply before looking away, "I wasn't going to."

She sighed and took a few steps closer to him. "So, why did you?"

He started walking towards his car and said, "Does it matter?"

Staring at his back, she bit her lip angrily before nonchalantly saying, "I guess not," and she trotted after him in her heels.

She voiced another quiet word gratitude when he opened the door for her and put on her seat belt as she followed his path around to the driver side with her eyes.

A part of her wanted more than the brief acknowledgement, but he - they had made it clear where their relationship now stood.

He had been honest with her from the very beginning. He was to be engaged not to her, but until then, they both had wanted to enjoy the in between.

Three weeks ago was the night before his engagement and the day she told him she had fallen in love with him.

She sighed feeling nauseous and leaned her head against the window knowing he would wipe the smudge off the glass as soon as she left his car because that was the kind of guy she had involved herself with.

"Are you feeling all right?" he asked raising the temperature in the car.

"Mhmm."

She didn't like being in this situation, but it was unavoidable. Feeling sick, she let out a small moan of discomfort and sat back resting her head against the black leather headrest.

At the traffic light, he reached for the plastic bag at her feet and pulled out a water bottle. He uncapped the bottle for her and said, "Drink this."

She took the bottle from his hand, her face coloring at his consideration and she drank from the bottle immediately feeling her stomach settle for a brief moment.

"Thanks."

The light turned green and the car lurched to a start.

"Easy!" she groaned grabbing the hand handling the steering wheel in reaction.

Discreetly, he slipped his hand out from under her under the pretense of lowering the temperature by a single degree.

She noticed and rolled her eyes taking her hand away from the wheel and to her stomach.

When he finally brought the car to a halt, she pulled at the handle to open the car.

For what felt like the millionth time that night, she thanked him.

"Aa."

Feeling shaky on her feet, she sat back inside the car and slipped her nude heels off.

"Will you be able to make it to your room?"

"Yeah, I think so" she sighed and stood back up reveling in the feel of her feet being planted parallel to the ground.

He sighed and she heard him open his door and he was next to her in a moment placing one hand around her waist and slipping her right arm around his neck.

"That wasn't necessary," she hummed. She probably could have made it to her apartment just fine, but she still appreciated the solid body holding her up.

He grunted in response and led her towards the entrance of her apartment.

"Uchiha-san," the doorman acknowledged in surprise. He hadn't seen the boy in a month, so he had assumed something had happened between the two.

"He'll be leaving shortly," Sakura said tersely as they passed him. Sasuke glanced at her pointedly as if expressing his exasperation.

In the elevator, Sasuke finally asked, "Why were you at Tokyo Police Department?" In the light, he notice a bruise forming on the side of her cheek and upper left arm.

She didn't say anything until they reached her door. "I got into a fight with this bitch," she replied nonchalantly as he let her go.

"You'll be okay?" he asked again referring to her bruises.

"Yes."

She fumbled through her purse trying to find her keys.

A part of her felt disappointed when she located the key. She knew he wouldn't come in, so his departure was near and she didn't know when she would next see him.

Lingering quietly at the door, she asked, "We're still going to try and be friends, right?" After all, that was the agreement they had decided upon towards the end of their relationship.

He stepped back and glanced over her disheveled form eyes softening, "Aa, we will try."

She turned the key in the doorknob and opened the door slightly.

She faced him and clutching the doorknob behind her, "Goodnight, Sasuke-kun."

"Goodnight, Sakura."

They had been in this situation before. She had stared into his eyes in the same position a few times before and those few times, she had grabbed his hand and lead him into her apartment. This time, it wouldn't happen like that.

Tearing her eyes away from his, she slipped inside her apartment responding with, "Night," before closing the door.

She stood with her back pressed firmly against the door and her heart was racing. She strained to hear his footsteps fade away and only when she was sure he was gone did she finally push herself off of the door with her hand pressed against her beating heart.

She tossed her heels to the side and without undressing, she fell into her bed and fell asleep, alone.

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><p><strong>Hopefully you guys enjoyed the chapter! <strong>

**Please drop a review with your comments and critiques!**

**Thanks,**

**Writerunderreconstruction**


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